
St. Vincent
St. Valentine
ca. 1440
The Netherlands, Utrecht
MS M.917/945, pp. 268–269
Purchased on the Belle da Costa Greene Fund with the assistance of the Fellows, 1963
Catalog link
Dressed as a deacon, Vincent holds a book and a spiked hoe, instrument of his martyrdom. He is framed by intertwined (raspberry?) vines upon which eight butterflies have alighted. At the upper left, the red admiral can be identified by the image of the skull that appears on the underside of its wing. Valentine, also dressed as a deacon, holds the sword of his martyrdom. He is framed by delicate flowers with thin leaves. At the bottom, two dragonflies devour a fly (or bee).